Police Clash with Occupy Oakland Protesters (PHOTOS AND VIDEO)

By IBT Staff Reporter On 10/26/11 AT 10:08 PM

The Occupy Oakland protest reached a dramatic stand off when police cleared the Frank Ogawa Plaza near Oakland City Center where the tent city was set up.

On the morning of Oct. 25 the police starting kicking people out of the park at 14thand Broadway, using tear gas early in the morning to clear the area. They closed down the 12th Street Bart for the day and come evening the adjacent mall and most of the surrounding shops were closed.

The police had lined the square with metal barriers and by nightfall protesters clogged the streets and sidewalks surrounding the area. Official estimates say more than 1,000 individuals had come the scene. Gathered in the intersection many protesters could be seen holding up the peace sign and chanting. The line between participant and spectator was blurred with many photographers and onlookers mixed in with Occupy Oakland protesters.

The demonstration was mostly peaceful except for a few people tipping over trashcans, though most protesters seemed to disapprove of that sort of lawlessness as they cleaned up the trash after it was spilt.

During the evening protest, a number of officers were assaulted, doused with hazardous materials and hit with large rocks and bottles, which resulted in the declaration of an unlawful assembly and the order to disperse, A Oakland Police Department press release read. To assist in the dispersal efforts, officers used less lethal force tactics.

Around 9:30 p.m. when the crowd had reached critical mass, police fired tear gas and flash bangs into the intersection. When the tear gas dissipated demonstrators began to gather around the square again. Most stood around the intersection chatting with friends and strangers alike, as some protesters yelled at the line of armored police.

At about 11 p.m. tear gas filled the streets as loud bangs echoed down the long rows of buildings. But around midnight the crowd seemed to thin.

By Wednesday morning things seemed more or less back to normal, with the opening of the 12th Street Bart. The park is still fenced off and more protesters are expected to gather around it the next evening.